National Map Reading Week is an awareness campaign originally created by the Ordnance Survey, Britain's National Mapping Agency. It runs annually in the third week of October.
The goal of the awareness week is to increase public use of maps and mapping services. This followed a public survey that demonstrated many British residents were unable to accurately place key cities on a map, including London and Birmingham.
The worry over loss of skills is not a new one: research by the British Library shows concerns were expressed by historian and cartographer John Brian Hartley over the loss of traditional map skills as digital mapping was developed in the 1980s.
References
- "Back on the map: Why paper sometimes isn't enough to help you find your way". The Independent. 27 October 2016. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
- "OS #GetOutside: Map Reading Week 2016". Retrieved 21 September 2016.
- "The Scilly Isles? Is that in Scotland". Telegraph. 21 September 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
- "Map Reading in the 20th Century". British Library. British Library. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
External links
- Royal Institute of Navigation: National Map Reading Week
- South Downs National Park: National Map Reading Week 17 – 23 October 2016
- Rohan: National Map Reading Week 17 – 23 October 2016
- Devon Geography: Map Reading Week Is Coming!
- Azimap: National Map Reading Week
- Ohio State University: National Map Reading Week in the UK
- Outdoor Industry Association newsletter Sep 2016 – National Map Reading Week